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Researchers discover a caterpillar that eats plastic.

France has identified its first outbreak of tick-borne encephalitis from consumption of raw milk products, with more than 40 people affected.

The infections are linked to eating a brand of raw milk goat cheese in Ain, in the Rhone-Alpes region, between April and May this year, according to Santé publique France.

The cheese producer is GAEC des Chevrettes du Vieux Valey, based at Condamine in Haut-Bugey, Ain. It is thought ticks carrying the virus contaminated a goat, then its milk, then the cheeses, and finally consumers.

A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has conducted an analysis of the system-wide costs and benefits of using engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) on crop-based agriculture. In their paper published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, the group describes their analysis and what they found.

As scientists have come to realize that vast improvements in agricultural practices are needed if future generations are going to be able to grow enough food to feed the expected rise in population. They have increasingly turned to technology-based solutions, rather than just looking for biological advances. One such approach involves the design and use of ENMs on crops as a means of improving pest control and fertilizer efficiency. Prior research has shown that some ENMs can be mixed into the soil as a form of pest control or as a means of diverting fertilizer directly to the roots, reducing the amount required. In a similar vein, some prior research has shown that ENMs can be applied to parts of the plant above-ground as a means of pest control. What has been less well studied, the researchers note, is the overall impact of ENMs on crops and the environment.

The number of deaths linked to a Listeria outbreak from meat products in 2019 has doubled.

It had been thought 21 people were infected with Listeria monocytogenes in the Netherlands and Belgium. One person fell sick in October 2017, eight in 2018, and 12 in 2019. Three people died. All patients were hospitalized and one woman had a miscarriage. Two Dutch patients were pregnant women in their 30s. The others were from 64 to 94 years old and 10 were men.

Now it is known that Listeria in processed meats from Offerman, a Ter Beke subsidiary, made 35 people sick. Two women miscarried and six patients died. The information was revealed in the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s (NVWA) annual report.

ebiol, Inc. has invented a film called “Imec” made of hydrogel for growing vegetables with less water. Using this method, agriculture can be done virtually anywhere — even on desert land or concrete. The film prevents harmful viruses and germs from getting in, rendering pesticides unnecessary. The film also creates a “water stress” that helps crops such as tomatoes synthesize large amounts of sugar, amino acids, and other nutrients. This, in turn, leads to more natural sweetness and higher nutritional value. In addition, Imec eliminates soil contamination that can negatively impact crop productivity and quality.

We’ve reported on several eye-catching floating architecture projects lately, including a “parkipelago” and a greenery-covered office. This solar-powered urban poultry farm is the most off-the-wall idea of the bunch though and, assuming it goes ahead as planned, will host roughly 7,000 egg-laying hens, as well as an area for growing food, in a harbor in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The building is officially named Floating Farm Poultry and was designed by Goldsmith for a company named Floating Farm Holding BV.

It will be based on a floating platform with three pontoons and will measure 3,500 sq m (roughly 37,670 sq ft), spread over three floors. Its interior layout will consist of a lower level used for farming vegetables, herbs and cresses under LED lighting, while upstairs will be a production factory floor for processing and packaging. The uppermost level is conceived as the poultry area and will contain the egg-laying hens.

Both are AI-enabled, allowing them to take in their surroundings and learn and evolve over time. They know what time to start cooking a well-done burger so that it’s done at exactly the same time as a medium-rare burger for the same order, or could learn how to optimize oil use to minimize waste, for instance.

In a pre-pandemic time of restaurant labor shortages, Flippy kept kitchen productivity high and costs low, a giant deal in an industry known for tiny margins. Introducing Flippy into a kitchen can increase profit margins by a whopping 300%, not to mention significantly reduce the stress managers feel when trying to fill shifts.

Continue reading “Restaurants Are in Need of a Helping Hand. Miso Robotics Is Offering Them One. Literally” »

In “Billion Dollar Burger,” Chase Purdy explores the “edible space race” to grow cell-cultured meat.

The Ecocapsule tiny home can accommodate up to two people with its kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and dining room.